Council declares climate emergency

Mount Alexander Shire Council has voted 6:1 to declare a climate emergency with only one councillor voting against.The public gallery was packed out and the crowd gave the council a standing ovation on its vote at Tuesday evening’s December council meeting in Castlemaine.Cr Bronwen Machin moved the motion that the council declare a climate emergency and implement “a roadmap that will lead to zero net emissions for council operations by 2025”.Cr Machin’s detailed notice of motion also included “ensuring that all actions are informed by cost-benefit analyses to ensure that council invests in actions with the best returns while maintaining its services and a sustainable long term budget”.Cr John Nieman was quick to second the motion, stating “this provides an opportunity to show that we’re serious about this”. Full story The Mail, Friday, December 20.